The most touching story of caring for a pet

A dog named Schoep and his owner John Unger became famous all over the world after a photo appeared on the Internet in 2012 showing the dog sleeping peacefully on his master's chest while swimming in a lake in Wisconsin. Behind this photo was a story that attracted the attention of hundreds of thousands of people around the world.

Shep, who was 19 years old at the time of this famous photo, was ill with arthritis. To ease his suffering a little, John took him to Lake Superior every day. He took the dog in his arms and went deep into the water. The water allowed the dog to finally relax so much that the pain subsided and Shep could calmly take a nap on the owner's chest.

John Unger and his girlfriend took Shep from the shelter. With this girlfriend, whom he wanted to marry, John broke up 11 years ago and then fell into a deep depression.

"I would like to be honest with you. I definitely wouldn't be here if it wasn't for this dog. One night I woke up with thoughts of suicide. But Shep was with me, and... I don't know how to explain. He just literally cut me off from these thoughts. He has done so much for me that the fact that I am helping to ease his suffering in his old age is only the little that I can do for him," John admitted in an interview he gave after unexpectedly falling into fame.

John created a Facebook page where he continued to post new photos of Shep and through which he communicated with new friends. "When people see these photos, they write that they are very glad that there is still something good and kind in this world," says Hannah Hudson, a photographer who took the famous photo, and a friend of John. Many people wrote in the comments about how they lost their dogs and loved ones, that they cry when looking at the photo.

Hannah and John met for a reason a year ago on the shore of Lake Superior. The vet told John that the dog's illness was progressing and it might be better to put the dog down. Realizing that he could soon lose his best friend, the man asked his girlfriend to take pictures of him and Shep. Hannah managed to make a wonderful shot that will remain in the memory of not only John, but also thousands of people around the world.

After the photo with the sleeping Shep became popular, John began to receive numerous gifts and money transfers for treatment from all over the world. The veterinarian of the clinic where the dog was treated was amazed that many anonymous people were transferring money. According to him, John is a good guy and not particularly rich, but he did everything possible for his dog, who still could not be cured to the end and who had already lived more than the average dog lives.

Popularity allowed Shep to prolong his life for almost a year, giving him the opportunity to celebrate his 20th birthday. On July 18, 2013, John posted a tragic message about the death of his beloved pet: "I'm breathing, but I can't catch my breath. Shep was gone yesterday."